Protective athletic garment



Nov. 14, 1939. B. R. HOLDER PROTECTIVE ATHLETIC GARMENT Filed Oct. 16.1937 INVENTOR. ,BROOJQS' Z HOLDER. BY

ORNEY Patented Nov. 14-, 1939 rarest Application ()ctober 16,

l ()liaims.

My present invention relates to a protective garment for athietie wear,and more particularly to a light weight washable garment which can beworn under the uniform of a baseball player to protect the playeragainst abrasion or burning of the skin at the hips and thighs as whensliding to a base.

An object of the invention is to provide a practical and effectivegarment which may be worn beneath the uniform of a baseball player as aprotection against an abrasion or burning of the skin when sliding intoa Another object of the invention is to provide a light weight garmentfor athletic wear having a novel padding which will fully protect thebody of the wearer and not interfere with his freedom of movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective garment forthe hips and thighs of a wearer in which the protective padding isclosely quilted to prevent a sticking of the pad to the body of thewearer due .to perspiration, and which will also prevent a slipping ofthe pad with respect to the body of the wearer when a sliding pressureis exerted thereupon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light weight pants-likeundergarment for athletic wear having a securing means which will holdthe garment upon the body of the wearer without any overlapping of thewaistband.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and novel form ofprotective padding for an athletic garment having a point to point bodycontacting surface which will provide a ventilation between the pad andthe body of the wearer and thus prevent sticking due to perspiration.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part pointedout hereinafter and in part evident to those skilled in the art as thedescription proceeds.

At the present time the only protective means of which I am aware thatis provided for baseball players, of which there are several types,comprises a belt-like member having two spaced downwardly extending padsthat are adapted to be suspended over the hips of the wearer where theyhang freely in the pant legs of the uniform. While these pads provideconsiderable protection under some conditions, they are open to theobjection that in sliding feet first to a base they often roll up andbecome displaced, and as a result, their protecting function is entirelylost. In one form of such padding, the downwardly extending ends of thepads are provided with a 1937, Serial No. 169,418

(Ci. 22Z) tape-like means which is tied around each leg of the wearer,but even with this expedient these pads are open to the objection thatthey become displaced in running and stick to the legs of the wearer andat the same time the leg ties seriously 5 interfere with the wearersfreedom of movement.

To overcome the above objections, my present invention contemplates aloose fitting light weight garment of washable material constructedalong 10 the lines of a pair of conventional shorts or trunks havingrelatively short and wide leg portions upon the sides of which a paddingis secured in an immovable manner. In one embodiment of my invention thepad is securely sewn against the inside surface of the garment over thehip and thigh encompassing area thereof, and in another form the paddingis disposed and held in a protective position with respect to the bodyof the wearer by a novel form of pad receiving pocket which extends fromthe rear of the garment and over the insides of the legs thereof.

Another expedient which has been resorted to in the construction ofprotective pads of the character contemplated by my invention has beento provide a plurality of superimposed layers of padding, which areslideable with respect to each other, so as to permit a relativemovement between the inside and outside layers, and thus reduce themovement of the inside layer upon the body of the player when a slidingpressure is exerted against the outside layer of the pad. Thisarrangement has the disadvantage that the individual layers of paddingoften become rolled up and/or folded and thus their protective action isdestroyed. These objections are overcome in accordance with my inventionby providing a closely quilted body engaging surface upon the insidesurface of the pads, which will prevent sticking and also anysubstantial movement of the pad over the body of the wearer whenpressure is applied thereto, and at the same time the outer surfacethereof will not interfere with a relative movement between the pad andthe uniform worn thereover.

In the drawing, wherein I have shown by way of illustration and not oflimitation, preferred embodiments of my invention:

Figure l is a perspective front View of a garment constructed inaccordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of one side of the garmentillustrated in Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line IIIIII ofFigure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a garmentconstructed in accordance with another embodiment of my invention, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line V-V of Figurel.

As illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing, the preferred form of myinvention comprises a pants-like garment, designated by the numeral l0,which, except for the details to be hereinafter pointed out, isconstructed along the lines of a pair of conventional trunks such as arecommonly worn by athletes. The garment I is preferably made of a lightweight washable duck, and at the top thereof there is provided a beltenclosing waistband I I through which a tieable web belt l2 is extended.The web belt I2 is of sumcient length to permit a tying of the ends atthe front of the garment, as shown. In order to permit the web belt E2to be drawn tightly about the waist of the wearer without producing anyshirring or overlapping of the waistband l I, the garment H has arelatively wide V-shaped fly opening it! which extends upwardly from thecrotch of the garment. Arranged along opposite sides of the garment andextending downwardly from the waistband ll over the hip and thighencompassing area of the garment, there are respectively right and lefthand pads I l and I5. These pads may be of any suitable pad formingmaterial, and are preferably provided with closely spaced right angledlines of stitching that produce a quilted eifect upon the inside surfacethereof, which will form a spaced point to point body engaging surface.Such a surface contact with the body of the wearer permits a ventilationbetween the pad and the body of the wearer even when held tightlythereagainst, and at the same time it retards any sliding of the padsrelative to the body of the wearer when an ex ternal sliding pressure isexerted thereupon. These pads It and i are similar in outline andconstruction and they are disposed and firmly secured upon the insidesurfaces of the garment ID in a protecting position over the hips andthighs of the wearer where a contact with the earth is most likely tooccur in sliding either head first or feet first into a base.

Upon referring to Figure 2 of the drawing, it will be noted that thepads I l and i5 extend downwardly inside the garment [0 throughout itsentire vertical length. As shown, the pads It and i5 are secured to thegarment by a stitching [6 which extends diagonally between the cornersthereof. If desired, the pads l4 and I5 may also be secured to thegarment ID by the additional stitchings which form the quilting effectupon the surface of the pads.

As illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing, the pads i l and 55 extendfrom spaced points at the rear of the garment l0 forwardly around theinside of each side and terminate just short of the front of the legs ofthe garment. With this arrangement it will be seen that the pads Hi and[5 will be positioned at the most vulnerable spots about the hips andthighs of the wearer, and at the same time they will move outwardly freeof the legs of the wearer when in a normal base running posture.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, the garment, designated by the numeral l8,has a waistband H] which is similar in all practical respects to thewaistband II and through which a web belt 20 is extended. In thisembodiment the garment I8 serves to support right and left handprotective pads 2| and 22 respectively, in a manner which will permittheir convenient removal for the purpose of washing the garment. As hereshown, the garment I8 is provided with relatively wide pockets 23 and24, into which the protective pads 2| and 22 are respectively inserted,that extend from spaced points at the rear thereof around to a point atthe front of the leg portions. The pads 2| and 22 may be formed of anyrelatively stiff felting or they may be of quilted or other constructionwhich will render them relatively still edgewise in order that they willhold their shape when placed in the pockets 23 and 24. In order toprovide against a sagging of the pockets 23 and 24, I extend their outeredges up to a point corresponding with the center of the waistline sothat when the web belt 20 is tightened upon the body of a wearer, theouter edge of the pockets will be drawn tightly in against the waistbandand thus effectively hold the pads 2i and 22 against displacement.

As shownin Figure 5 of the drawing, the pockets 23 and 24 extend fromspaced points at the rear of the garment to points just short of thefront center of the legs of the garment, so that, as has been previouslydescribed, the pockets with the pads 2| and 22 will flap rearwardly andoutwardly from the legs of a .wearer when in forward motion as in anormal running between bases, and as a result, they will not bind uponthe legs of the wearer or in any way interfere with the wearers legmovements.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided a combined practicaland effective protective pad and supporting garment for athletic wear,which is loose fitting, and therefore comfortable to wear and one whichwill stand frequent laundering without losing its shape.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose myinvention so that the same can be readily understood, described andillustrated specific arrangements, I desire to have it understood thatthis invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed, but maybe embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to personsskilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and it isdesired to claim it so that all such changes as come within the scope ofthe appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus describe-d my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. A protective garment for athletic Wear,comprising a padded pants-like garment having a belt enclosing Waistbandat the top and having a closed crotch and a wide V-shaped fly openingextending upwardly at the front thereof, and a belt forming memberextending through said belt enclosing Waistband adapted to be secured insaid fly opening without a shirring or an overlapping at the waistbandof the garment.

2. In a protective washable garment for baseball players, thecombination of a pants-like garment of light material having a beltforming portion at the waistline thereof and relatively wide downwardlyextending short leg portions, a pocket extending around the rear andoutside of said leg portions throughout substantially their entirelength, and a removable pad in each of said pockets as a protection forthe hips and thighs of a wearer, the top opening of said pockets beingdisposed outside of and along the line of said waistband and adapted tobe drawn into contact with said waistband to close the pocket and securesaid pad against displacement when the garment is secured about thewaist of a wearer.

3. In a protective washable garment for baseball players, thecombination of a pants-like garmerit of light material having a beltforming por tion at the waistline thereof and relatively wide downwardlyextending short leg portions, a pocket extending around the rear andoutside of said leg portions throughout substantially their entirelength, the tops of said pockets being disposed along the center of saidwaistband and adapted to be drawn into contact with said waistband toclose the pockets when the garment is secured about the waist of awearer, and a protective pad having non-sagging characteristics disposedin and completely filling each of said pockets,

4. A protective garment for athletic wear, comprising a paddedpants-like garment having a waistband at the top and a closed crotchwith a V-shaped fly opening extending upwardly at the front thereof, anda belt forming member cooperating with the waistband at the top of saidgarment having ends adapted to be connected together in said fly openingto secure the garment upon the body of a wearer without a shirring oroverlapping at the waistband of the garment.

BROOKS R. HOLDER.

